Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Policy

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps they are taking to help ensure that their Department (a) gives sufficient attention to long term strategic challenges, (b) does not allow current events to slow down work on long term strategic issues and (c) consistently undertakes horizon scanning.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which minister in their Department is responsible for overseeing work on long term strategic challenges; and how many officials work in roles focused on horizon scanning and long term priorities.

Mark Spencer: The Liaison Committee recently launched an inquiry into select committee scrutiny of strategic thinking across Whitehall. The Government will be providing written evidence to this in due course. Defra has an overall Strategy Group which works on horizon scanning and long-term strategic coherence through internal business planning, resilience, risk and capability work. This function also exists and is prioritised within the Chief Scientist’s office and individual policy areas, such as climate adaptation, food security and water policy. The majority of Defra officials contribute to Defra’s coherent strategic picture. Under Rishi Sunak, this Conservative Government will always look to make the right long-term decisions for the country.

Forests: Expenditure

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of woodland (a) creation and (b) management in the last 12 months.

Trudy Harrison: A total of approximately £69.8 million has been spent through the Nature for Climate Fund, Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship schemes over the last 12 months to support our creation and management of woodland, which is split into approximately £56.6 million for creation and approximately £13.2 million for management.